1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to an elastic band product having an attached drawcord, and a method of raking the same. More specifically, the invention relates to an elastic drawcord product having a drawcord secured between first and second elastic webs by tying yarns, and a method of making such a drawcord product on a knitting machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Elastic bands are commonly used in combination with drawstrings, particularly in apparel applications. For example, elastic bands and drawstrings are commonly used to secure items of apparel about a wearer's waist, e.g., in sweatpants, men's bathing suits, and the like. In such articles, the elastic band usually provides the initial cinching of a garment, while the drawstring is used to further cinch the garment once donned by the wearer, and to secure it in this cinched form.
The elastic band/drawstring combinations are typically secured within a tunnel located proximate the area of the garment where cinching is desired, e.g., at the waist of the garment. In some garments, the tunnel is pre-formed, and an opening is provided through which the elastic band and drawstring can be fed. In this method, the ends of the elastic band are then secured together while the drawstring ends are left loose, in order that they can be pulled through the tunnel opening, and subsequently tied or otherwise secured together by the garment wearer to cinch the garment as desired. In other typical methods, the elastic band and drawstring are provided on a peripheral portion of a garment, which is in turn folded over the elastic band and drawstring and secured in place, to form a tunnel integrally from the garment itself which surrounds portions of the band and drawstring. In these methods, the ends of the elastic band can be secured together to form a ring-shaped band prior to the formation of a tunnel, or they can be extended through a tunnel opening and secured together subsequent to the sleeve forming operation, in the manner described above. In some of the methods, the elastic band is actually sewn to the garment, while in others, the band floats freely within the tunnel.
One drawback of the elastic band/drawstring combinations is that it can be relatively labor intensive to apply them to the garments. To overcome this problem, several attempts have been made to provide the elastic band and drawstring as a single unit. One such attempt is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,040,244 and 5,186,779 to Tubbs. The Tubbs patents describe an elastic band/drawstring combination having a drawstring adhesively secured to the surface of an elastic band, and its associated method of production. While providing a convenient means for furnishing both an elastic band and a drawstring, the adhesive used must be relatively weak in order that the bond between the drawstring and the elastic band can be broken following insertion of the band into a garment so that the drawstring can be used to cinch the garment. As a result, the combination requires proper handling in order that the adhesive attachment between the drawcord and the elastic band is not broken prematurely.
Another method is described in U.S. Reissue Pat. No. 33,586 to Graff. The Graff patent describes an elastic band having a pull cord incorporated within the elastic band structure in the place of or in addition to one of the elastic threads forming the elastic band. In the embodiment illustrating a knit band structure, the filling threads forming the elastic band extend continuously across the full width of the structure, with the pull cord being incorporated into the structure of the elastic band itself. In order that a proper Length of pull cord to elastic band is achieved (i.e., so that the pull cord is longer than the elastic band), the patent describes that the pull cord is "bunched" within the elastic band.
Other elastic band/drawstring combinations are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,266 to Crisco and U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,591 to King. The Crisco patent describes an elastic band having a drawstring sewn to its surface, while the King patent describes the formation of a combination structure by knitting a conventional elastic band, then re-routing the band back through the knitting machine where a tunnel-like cover is knit over a drawcord to secure it to the elastic band. In each of these combinations, the ratio of drawcord to elastic band is limited by the sewn/knit cover over the drawcord, and the sewing and knitting must be performed precisely in order that the cord is not inadvertently sewn or knit to the elastic band. Further, the thickness of the combination structure formed according to each of these patents in the region of the drawstring tends to be relatively thick, since it includes the combined thicknesses of the drawstring plus that of the elastic band and knit or sewn cover.